NDA seat-sharing deal in Bihar makes no mention of 5 sitting BJP MPs

As many as five sitting BJP MPs in Bihar, where it had won 22 seats in the last Lok Sabha polls, may not get a chance to seek re-election from their respective constituencies, as per the arrangement between the NDA constituents announced here Sunday.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U), which returned to the NDA less than two years ago, has succeeded in securing for itself both its seats of Nalanda and Purnea, besides getting five which were represented by the BJP in the outgoing Lok Sabha and another held by Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP.

Valmiki Nagar, Jhanjharpur, Gopalganj (SC), Siwan and Gaya (SC) all won by the BJP in 2014 have gone to the JD(U) this time. Both parties are contesting 17 seats each in the state, where the total number is 40.

The LJP, which is contesting six, retains Paswan's Hajipur, his son Chirag's Jamui and brother Ram Chandra Paswan's Samastipur. It has forgone Munger represented by don-turned-politician Suraj Bhan Singh's wife Veena Devi, who is expected to be ...